UR Chapter 100

Chapter 100

When the sound of the trunk closing rang out, a middle-aged man and woman hurried out from inside the building. They were dressed plainly. Even though the building had only a few streetlights lit and the surrounding area was completely dark, they somehow knew to come out without the slightest look of surprise, stopping in front of Eun Beom-ho and I-bom.

“It’s been a while.”

The middle-aged man, who looked rather stern, bowed deeply to Beom-ho. Accepting the greeting naturally, Beom-ho gestured toward the shopping bag.

“I’ll carry this one myself. Please take care of the rest.”

At his signal, they gave a short reply and took the other luggage. In the dim glow of the low streetlights, their faces were hard to make out. I-bom stood on tiptoe, craning his neck to glance at the strangers as they quickly disappeared from sight.

…So am I going to be working with them?

He had come all the way here to work a three-day, two-night part-time job at a resort in Gangwon-do, but Beom-ho hadn’t said much about the actual work. He thought he’d be joining those people, but it didn’t seem like it. In fact, they hadn’t even acknowledged him.

Puzzled, I-bom looked at Beom-ho standing beside him.

“Should I change clothes before I catch a cold?”

Bending slightly, Beom-ho rummaged through the shopping bag and pulled out the beige padded jacket, carefully draping it over I-bom’s shoulders. The crisp, cool fabric of the brand-new coat brushed gently against him. Smiling warmly, Beom-ho tapped his arm, as if telling him to put it on properly.

Lifting his arms, I-bom took off what he was wearing and put on the new jacket. Just as he’d said, it was light yet warm—unlike his old cotton padding that let the wind seep in, this one trapped his body heat right away.

“Ah, it really does suit you. Beige looks great on you with your fair skin.”

With a satisfied smile, Beom-ho adjusted his shoulders, his gaze brimming with affection.

“Shall we go in now?”

He reached out naturally, his warm fingers brushing against I-bom’s wrist before sliding smoothly into his palm, interlocking their fingers. Then he strode toward the building.

Click.

The moment they stepped inside, the lights came on brightly. The ivory marble floor of the entrance felt more like Guhochdae than an officetel. Although called a “resort,” it resembled a well-built large country home. And despite the imposing, weighty atmosphere it gave off from the outside, the interior was warm and inviting, carrying the cozy scent of spring.

…A resort like this, in the middle of a cold, windy mountain?

Looking around curiously, I-bom stepped hesitantly into the living room.

In the dark, he hadn’t noticed, but inside, the place was more spacious than expected. What he’d thought was a small villa extended into a deep main hall, with several rooms lining the edges.

The first thing to catch his eye was the vivid green. In the large living room, lush plants flourished despite it being midwinter. The jewel-like glow of the plant lights was striking, but what truly captivated him was the ceiling—like stained glass, it gave the space a breathtaking atmosphere. He thought the sparkling moonlight shining down from the high ceiling, twice as tall as an ordinary home’s, looked just like a chandelier.

“Wow…”

Noticing his awestruck gaze fixed on the ceiling, Beom-ho looked at him fondly.

“I heard my grandmother built it. She had the glass cut like diamonds so the moonlight would reflect beautifully.”

“It’s so pretty…”

Nodding, I-bom replied to his words. As he smiled, his cheeks rose softly, flushed like ripe peaches. Beom-ho carefully brushed his hair aside and placed a light kiss on his cheek.

“W-what are you doing?”

Startled, I-bom quickly covered his cheek with his hand. It was one thing if they were alone, but here he’d come for a part-time job and they were in an open space—and he kissed him like it was nothing. He felt indignant at how brazen he was.

“Young masters, it’s time for dinner.”

Before Beom-ho could speak, a voice called out from the distance. Giving him a quick glare, I-bom ran toward the sound.

“Wow…”

Upstairs, on a wooden deck on the second floor, there was a barbecue area. Just moments ago, the deep mountain had been dark and quiet, but now it was brightly lit. Drawn in as if hypnotized, I-bom approached to see a middle-aged woman tending a large grill.

“Oh my, hello. You’re late. You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Is meat okay for you?”

She greeted him warmly, her tone friendly.

“Ah, yes. I like it.”

Somehow, everything was already prepared. On the table beside them were plates piled high with delicious-looking meat, fresh vegetables, and fruit. Rolling up his sleeves, I-bom hurried over and grabbed the tongs on the table.

“I-I’ll do it.”

Maybe this was part of the job too. I-bom slipped on the work gloves sitting next to the grill. Looking around, it seemed that aside from himself and Beom-ho, only the middle-aged man and woman were there. Since he’d be here for three days and two nights, it was better to leave a good impression on the people he’d be working with. Gripping the tongs politely, he picked up a piece of raw meat.

“You’ll get hurt, step aside. I’ll do it.”

At some point, Beom-ho had come up behind him, speaking softly. When I-bom turned, he saw him lightly pat his shoulder and gesture toward a chair. His calm gaze said, “Just sit down and watch.” Then, without warning, he took off his jacket and neatly set it down next to I-bom’s chair. I-bom, still holding the tongs, just stared at his actions.

“Take off the gloves.”

Beom-ho removed the work gloves from I-bom’s hands and slipped them onto his own. The white gloves that had fit loosely on I-bom’s hands were snug on his. Then he rolled up his sleeves.

“Give me the tongs.”

He held out his palm in front of I-bom. The muscles in his forearms were finely defined as his sleeves were pushed back. Pretending not to hear, I-bom turned his head away, but after Beom-ho’s repeated urging, he reluctantly handed them over.

“……”

Seating I-bom in front of him, Beom-ho expertly used the tongs to place meat on the grill. Then, smiling pleasantly, he addressed the middle-aged woman who had been watching them with a warm expression.

“Ma’am, would you bring I-bom a cup of hot tea? We’ll take care of dinner ourselves. It’s late, so please go rest.”

Though he smiled, it carried an unspoken hint that he didn’t want to be disturbed. The woman, who had been beaming cheerfully, seemed to understand only then. She closed her mouth, nodding.

“Oh, all right. Oh my… I can’t believe I forgot. I’ll go get it for you.”

Her shoulders shaking with amusement, the middle-aged woman looked between I-bom and Beom-ho. While I-bom was watching him grill the meat, their eyes met. Feeling awkward with nothing to say, he offered her a small smile. She, however, spoke to them both as if the sight pleased her.

“Whenever the others bring their partners to the villa, you always come alone, so we were all worried… Oh my, congratulations. You two look wonderful together.”

I-bom blinked wide-eyed, looking between her and Beom-ho. Laughing heartily, the woman waved and disappeared quickly into the kitchen. When Beom-ho lowered his gaze and gave a small cough, I-bom pursed his lips and asked cautiously.

“…So this wasn’t… a part-time job?”

Seeing his bewildered expression, Beom-ho let out a quiet sigh, looking troubled. He rubbed at the space between his brows with his thumb and forefinger, as if his head ached.